


Error in Communication

by FollowTheFirefly



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Captain and Vice-captain Hinata and Tsukishima, Love Confessions, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 09:13:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14541474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FollowTheFirefly/pseuds/FollowTheFirefly
Summary: In which Hinata surprises no one by dating Kageyama, but Tsukishima doesn't like it one bit and decides to take action in a way Yamaguchi wasn't expecting.





	Error in Communication

**Author's Note:**

> So I've apparently had this one finished for a while, but I never got around to posting it. Maybe one day I'll get better at writing summaries?

It happened. It took three years and no one on the Karasuno volleyball team was surprised in the end, but it actually happened. 

Hinata was dating Kageyama.

And Kei couldn’t stand it.

Which meant that as his oldest and his best friend, it was up to Tadashi to comfort a rather upset Kei once he got over the shock of it all. 

Even though Tadashi had to convince Kei that it was actually happening in the first place.

“I’m telling you, that’s what Hinata told me this morning!” Tadashi tried to tell Kei as they made their way to the gym for practice, moving past a group of third-years discussing a recent exam.

“There’s no way Hinata would do that.” Kei adjusted the bag he had slung over his shoulder. “He’d freak out too much before he could actually say anything.”

“Or are you saying that because you’ve liked Hinata since our first year and still haven’t worked up the nerve to say anything?” Tadashi grinned deviously at Kei.

Kei shot Tadashi a glare. 

“You know I’m right, Tsukki,” Tadashi said pointedly. 

“It’s not like he knows,” Kei looked down at his shoes. “I don’t think he knows…”

“You could tell him,” Tadashi suggested, looking up at Kei as the two stepped outside of the main building.

“No point if he’s dating Kageyama,” Kei said simply. “Which I still say he isn’t.”

“You can ask him yourself,” Tadashi replied. “Or maybe you don’t have to. I doubt Hinata could keep this from you for long.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kei frowned and stared at Tadashi, stopping at the foot of the steps to the club building. 

“Only that Hinata’s terrible at keeping secrets. Remember when we were having a surprise party for the third years two years ago?” Tadashi recalled the time when Hinata accidentally told the third years about their own party after practice one day when Nishinoya and Ennoshita specifically told him not to.

“He’s a dumbass,” Kei continued up the steps.

“Yet you’re the one who likes him,” Tadashi said, following after Kei.

“Like I actively decided on that,” Kei rolled his eyes.

“Just saying you brought this on yourself,” Tadashi shrugged as they reached the second floor. “It won’t be hard to ask him about it.”

“Okay, I will. After practice.” Kei and Tadashi reached the practice room. “But I still say you’re wrong.”

“Wrong about what?” Kei paused as he unlocked the door and he and Tadashi turned around to see their libero, a second year that was almost as skilled as Nishinoya on the volleyball court, saunter up to them.

“Hey, Kaoru,” Tadashi said, following behind Kei as the latter unlocked the door and stepped into the clubroom. 

“Did you guys hear about Hinata-senpai and Kageyama-senpai?” Kaoru threw his bag across the room, watching it land between two rows of lockers. “I’m surprised it took them this long to actually go for it.”

Tadashi gave Kei a knowing look, which Kei chose to ignore,

“Was it something I said?” Kaoru frowned, noticing the sudden change in the atmosphere in the room, eyes moving back and forth between the two third-years.

“No, you didn’t do anything.” Kei shook his head, opening his locker and pulling out his volleyball shoes.

“I always figured if any of our team started to date, it would be the captain and vice captain,” Kaoru went on, not really paying any attention to what he was saying.

“Just because Hinata and I are captain and vice-captain…” Kei started to say.

“You two are so close that it just seems natural,” Kaoru shrugged, sitting down on one of the benches while he pulled his shirt over his head. “Of course, Kageyama and Hinata seem really obvious, too.”

Kei opened his mouth to respond when Hinata bounded into the room, somehow looking more energetic than usual. Which was something since Hinata had so much energy that the first years had started comparing him to a battery that never lost its charge.

“Good! Now we can settle this!” Kaoru pointed dramatically at Hinata.

“What in the world?” Tadashi sighed, rolling his eyes as he slipped into his gym shorts.

“What? What’s going on?” Hinata looked around in confusion before his eyes landed on the second-year libero. “Kaoru, are you and Makoto plotting something against the first-years again?”

“He was so obvious last time,” Kei hid a laugh behind his hand.

“Senpai, aren’t you and Kageyama-senpai going out?” Kaoru was known for being one of the most blunt members of the team.

“Yeah, what about it?” Hinata was clearly still confused.

“Told you, Tsukki,” Tadashi managed to elbow Kei in the ribs, looking annoyingly triumphant.

“Wait, how long has this been a thing?” Kei stared at the flame-haired boy.

“About a month?” Hinata shrugged.

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Kei had to work to keep his voice steady.

“I didn’t think that it mattered?” Hinata frowned.

“I guess it doesn’t, really.” Kei ignored the fact that Tadashi was giving him a puzzling look.

“Now that we have that settled, let’s get to practice!” Kaoru bolted out of the room, leaving the third-years to stare at each other.

“I’ll…go make sure he doesn’t destroy anything.” Hinata gave Kei one last enquiring glance before he took off after the libero.

Tadashi looked up at Kei. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” He knew that Tadashi could probably see right through him, but the only thing Kei wanted to focus on was volleyball.

-

“You still haven’t told me what you’re going to do, you know.”

Kei looked up across the table where Tadashi was looking up phrases in his English dictionary. The usual third-year Saturday after-practice study session (as Yachi and Kageyama called it) was quite small that particular night. Hinata and Kageyama had gone to study for a history exam with some of their classmates and Yachi was at the library researching for a paper, leaving just Kei and Tadashi to study by themselves. It wasn’t unusual for them, but since their first year, they’d studied with their friends and Kei would be lying if he said he didn’t miss their presence. 

“I’m going to finish this homework?” Kei wasn’t sure what Tadashi was talking about.

“No, I mean about you and Hinata,” Tadashi huffed, eyes on Kei.

“Does it matter?” Kei asked.

“Of course it matters!” Tadashi exclaimed dramatically. “It’s been almost two months since Hinata told you and you don’t talk to him anymore!” He leaned an elbow against the table, taking care not to knock over his mug of tea, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. “You said you had a plan, but you didn’t tell me what it was.”

“I’m trying to ignore him.” Kei tapped his pencil against his notebook. “It’ll hurt less that way.”

“Wait, that’s why you’ve not said a word to Hinata outside of practice?!” Tadashi couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Tsukki, please tell me you’re not serious.”

“I am?” Kei frowned, looking up at Tadashi, who was staring wide-eyed at him. “He doesn’t seem to want much to do with me, either. He’s been ignoring me, too.”

“Because he’s confused about why you’ve suddenly started pretending he doesn’t exist!” Tadashi exclaimed.

“What’s there to be confused about?” Kei really didn’t see why Tadashi was making such a fuss.

“He thinks he’s done something wrong,” Tadashi said. “He’s afraid he’s upset you somehow.”

“But he hasn’t.” Kei shook his head. “Aside from dating Kageyama, but you know.”

“And how is he meant to know that?” Tadashi challenged.

“I thought he’d figured it out?” Kei questioned.

“Tsukki, you’re one of the smartest people I know, but you can be really stupid sometimes.” Tadashi sighed in frustration, staring at his friend as he tried to think.

“How so?” Kei demanded, growing more agitated by the second.

“He can’t know what you’re feeling if you don’t tell him,” Tadashi said in the voice of a kindergarten teacher instructing class. “And as for it hurting less, how’s that working out for you?”

“Not very well,” Kei looked away, a pained look crossing his eyes. “Still feels like I’ve had my heart ripped out of my chest.” He looked back up at Tadashi. “I thought that it was supposed to get better, you know?”

“Then perhaps we can conclude that this is completely pointless and you really should talk to Hinata?” Tadashi finished. “I know he misses you and clearly you miss him too.”

“I guess you’re right.” Kei turned back to his homework and tried to focus on the math problems in front of him before he realized something and looked back at Tadashi. “Back up a minute. How do you know he misses me?”

“Because he’s been asking me what’s going on with you. You’ve been acting kinda weird the last few months.” Tadashi picked up his pencil and started writing in his notebook. “I can’t say I haven’t been wondering myself, too.”

“You could’ve just asked,” Kei said flatly.

“I have. You haven’t always given me straight answers, you know.” Tadashi stared back at Kei. “He’s been pretty worried about you.”

“Hmm…” Kei hummed.

“Plus…” Tadashi stared to say. 

“What is it?” Kei looked up from his notes.

“No, I can’t say that.” Tadashi shook his head.

“You were about to,” Kei scowled in annoyance.

“I shouldn’t have,” Tadashi shook his head. “That’s really something you should hear from Hinata.”

“From Hinata?” Kei echoed.

“Look, just talk to him, okay?” Tadashi crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I know you’ll feel better if you do.”

-

Several hours and many texts later found Kei walking over to the park near the school where the first years met each morning before class. Hinata had been quite confused when Kei texted him out of the blue, but was very willing to meet up and talk.

It didn’t stop Kei from being nervous, though.

“Can I really go through with this?” he thought to himself as the park came into view, knowing that a confession was certainly possible.

It didn’t take him long to find the flame-haired boy. Hinata was on one of the dilapidated swings, the ones Kei thought looked more like a death-trap than actual playground equipment. Once he noticed Kei, Hianta swung up to the highest he could go and jumped, landing like a cat on the sand below.

“You’re going to kill yourself doing that, you know,” Kei had to smile as he met Hinata.

“Nishinoya-san could always get higher than me,” Hinata said, a twinge of jealousy in his voice.

“And you know Shiro and Kyosuke are trying to beat your record.” Kei felt compelled to tell him. 

“They have to try pretty hard,” Hinata grinned smugly.

“We still need to decide who should take over for us next year,” Kei had been dreading the decision. 

“But we have more important things to talk about now,” Hinata threw himself down on one of the swings.

“Yeah, I guess we do.” Kei resigned himself to join Hinata on the swings, hoping that the chains wouldn’t snap under his weight.

“You’re really sure I didn’t do anything?” Hinata looked quizzically at Kei. “Because if I did, you know I didn’t mean it and I don’t want you to be angry with me and I-“

“Relax, Hina, you didn’t do anything,” Kei assured him, the nickname slipping out naturally. “I’m not angry with you.”

“But you’ve been avoiding me outside of practice.” Hinata stared at the ground. “And even during practice, you seem to want nothing to do with me.” He tapped his foot on the ground. “And when we’re all studying together, you speak to me as little as possible.”

“It’s…it’s really hard for me to explain.” Kei said slowly. 

“Can you try?” Hinata still refused to meet Kei’s eyes.

Kei thought for a minute.

“I don’t like you going out with Kageyama.”

“I thought you said it didn’t matter?” Hinata arched an eyebrow.

“Of course I couldn’t tell you that it did.” Kei thought he was being too obvious and wondered how Hinata couldn’t figure it all out. “That wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“But what was the problem?” Hinata finally looked up at Kei. “Why didn’t you like me going out with Kageyama?”

“Because I’ve liked you since our first year, but couldn’t bring myself to say anything.” Kei hoped his face wasn’t as red as he felt it was. He fidgeted nervously with the zipper on his jacket and refused to look at Hinata, his eyes fixed on the ground. “Except now I’ve told you and I have no idea what you’ll say.”

“Seriously?” Hinata stared at Kei, brown eyes confused.

“Do you really think I’d lie to you?” Kei questioned.

“No, but if that’s true, why have you been ignoring me for the last two months?” Hinata wanted to know.

“Because it really hurt? Like my heart shattered into a million pieces?” Kei responded, his fingers fumbling with the chains on the swing. “So I thought if I cut off all ties with you, it would hurt less.”

“Guess it didn’t work?” Hinata assumed.

“If anything, it’s worse.” Kei shook his head.

“There’s something you should probably know,” Hinata wasn’t usually so quiet and it made Kei nervous.

“About what?”

“Kageyama and I actually split up a few weeks ago.” Hinata admitted. 

“Wait, what?” Kei was certain he had misheard him.

“Yeah, we’re still friends, but we decided it was a good idea if we didn’t see each other anymore.” Hinata rubbed the back of his head.

“I thought things were going well with you two?” Kei had no reason to think otherwise, what with the way that they carried on at practice.

“It just didn’t feel right,” Hinata kicked the toe of his sneaker into the sand, dust flying up in the air.

“Didn’t like him like that after all?” Kei assumed, his fingers running circles around the screws on the seat of the swing.

“I guess you could say that.” Hinata was staring at the ground, a frustrated expression on his face.

“Hina, what aren’t you telling me?” Kei asked, watching Hinata play with a loose string on his shirt.

“Well, whenever I was with Kageyama, I kept thinking about you.” Hinata flushed a bright shade of red.

“Why would you do that?” Kei had never been the best in situations like this.

“Because I kept wishing he was you,” Hinata couldn’t look at Kei.

“But why-“

“Because I like you, too!” Hinata shouted in frustration. “Geez, Kei, are you going to make me come out and say it?”

“Looks like you just did.” Kei smirked.

“Shit, you’re right!” Hinata gasped, looking mortified. “This wasn’t how I was going to tell you…”

“You were actually going to tell me?” Kei frowned.

“Eventually! I told Yamaguchi and he said that I definitely should, but I didn’t think I’d stand a chance with you at all!” Hinata exclaimed, clearly frustrated with the situation.

“And that’s what I thought about you,” Kei went on. “So does this mean that we’ve been doing this for nothing?”

“I think so.” Hinata nodded. “Poor Yachi said she was going to have an intervention soon if we didn’t fix this.” He shrugged and stretched his arms out in front of his chest. “I heard her talking to Yamaguchi after practice last week.”

“As if Yachi doesn’t have enough to worry about already.” Kei thought about how Yachi was still trying to find a new manager in addition to her other managerial duties. 

“I’ve just realized something,” Hinata said slowly as the memory came back to him. “I was talking to Ren and Yusuke about Kageyama the other day.”

“Always a bad idea,” Kei quipped, knowing what troublemakers the first-years were.

Hinata ignored him and went on.

“They were saying that it would make more sense if it was you and me instead of me and Kageyama.”

“Probably because we’re captain and vice-captain,” Kei pointed out. “Kaoru was saying something like that a while ago.”

“Did everyone know except us?” Hinata questioned.

“Apparently.” Kei pushed his glasses up his nose. “I overheard the second-years taking bets on which team member would start going out with whom.”

“Why in the world are they talking about that?” Hinata asked in surprise.

“You and I came up quite a bit,” Kei leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“I think they have a little too much time on their hands.” Hinata shook his head. “But why does it sound like you’re planning something?”

“Because I am.” Kei grinned deviously.

“Oh great.” Hinata threw his hands up in the air. “And what are you plotting this time?”

“We start going out, but we don’t tell the team. Well, except for Yamaguchi and Kagayama and Yachi, if course. Yachi and Yamaguchi will want to know, at least.” Kei started to explain. 

“Kageyama’s been trying to get me to tell you for a while. He kept saying I was unbelievably obvious and didn’t know how you didn’t notice.” Hinata kicked his legs back and forth. “I actually told him I was coming here to meet you tonight, so I’ll probably tell him about it later.”

“You can tell him, I’ll tell Yamaguchi, and we’ll both tell Yachi.” Kei said.

“But what about the rest of the team?” Hinata queried. 

“Everyone else will have to find out themselves,” Kei said.

“So mean.” Hinata twisted the chains and let go, spinning in a circle. He stuck out his shoe and slowed to a stop, turning to look at Kei. “But going out with you does sound nice.”

“I think so, yeah.” Kei nodded.

“It’ll make Yachi happy, at least,” Hinata added.

“Oh, is that why you’ll go out with me?” Kei pretended to be offended.

“Of course not, idiot.” Hinata rolled his eyes.

“But seriously, though.” Kei looked back at Hinata. “You sure about this? Because I’m not the best with words and emotions confuse me sometimes and I know I’m hard to get along with-“

“Kei, if that bothered me, I really wouldn’t have fallen for you.” Hinata reached over for Kei’s hand. “Do you think I would have said anything if it did?”

“You said it was an impulse,” Kei said.

“It was tonight, yes, but I really was planning on telling you!” Hinata retorted. “Even Kageyama said I should!”

“Getting relationship advice from your ex?” Kei cocked his head to the side.

“He’s still my best friend, you know.” Hinata shrugged.

“Hmmm.” Kei cautiously moved back and forth on the swing, checking to see if it would crash under his weight. “Want to take bets on who will notice first?” 

“Probably Tachibana.” Hinata started spinning in circles again. “He seems like he’s always figuring out this kind of stuff. He figured out Kaoru and Sayuri were going out.”

“For all of two weeks.” Kei scoffed. “I don’t know why she said yes, as loud and obnoxious as he is.”

“Maybe that’s a quality of a good libero?” Hinata suggested. “Nishinoya was always really loud and he could never get a girlfriend.”

“Noya had issues with girls for other reasons,” Kei frowned as he felt the phone in his pocket vibrate. He fished it out and stared at the screen to find a new message from Tadashi. 

“Yamaguchi?” Hinata assumed.

Kei nodded, holding his phone out for Hinata to see.

“Think it’s time we told him?”


End file.
